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Although several roadtrip guides had recommended taking the HWY 12 (All American Highway) route between Bryce and Capitol Reef, I was very much unprepared for the majestic beauty and unexpected sights of this drive. While it is a slightly longer route than the alternative, it was easily driveable with a small or large trailer. The sights are well worth the extra time, and, if you allow for it, there are some lovely stops along the way. We did not have time (or energy) to stop at all of these
To take the All American Highway, take highway 63 through Bryce National Park and at the junction with highway 12, make a right.
The first side trip option is the Mossy Cave Trail (Click here for Google Maps). It is just outside Bryce before you reach Tropic. There are signs for the trailhead on the highway. It is a relatively short and easy hike to the cave/waterfall. The stream was artificially created by pioneers who needed an irrigation source. The “Tropic Ditch” has changed the geology along its course, creating an actual erosion canyon. The trail forks about a quarter mile in and the right fork follows the stream to the waterfall, while the left fork goes to the cave.
The second option is Kodachrome Basin State Park (Click here for Google Maps). The park is comprised of 67 monolithic stone spires, called sedimentary pipes and multihued sandstone layers revealing 180 million years of geologic time. The area is named after the popular color film in 1948. There are a variety of short, long, easy, and challenging hikes throughout the park.
The third option is to visit the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (Click here for Google Maps). The park has a variety of hiking trails that take you past large specimens of petrified wood and dinosaur fossils and also has options for fishing, canoeing, and picnicking. This is a great place to stop for a picnic lunch if you brought one.
The fourth option is to visit Calf Creek Falls and hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls (Click here for Google Maps). This is a relatively flat 6-mile out and back hike with a great reward at the end. While the 126 ft. waterfall is a sight to behold, the pool for swimming at the base of the falls is a great way to cool down before returning the way you came. The trailhead can be accessed off of highway 12 at the sign for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Calf Creek Recreation Area.
Even if you choose not to stop at any of these, the views from the Highway 12 drive alone are incredible with some turnouts to take some pictures of the scenery. You really get the run of it all with forests, meadows, colorful rock layers, and stunning vistas.
At the end of the day, we pulled into Thousand Lakes RV Park for a windy and chilly evening where we mostly stayed inside and played board games.
Day 3 Campground:
Thousand Lakes RV Park – Rating: ★★★★★The spots at Thousand Lakes were roomy, nicely groomed, with some nice shade trees. We were located at the back of the park which had some of the best views of the surround mesas. It was windy and chilly while we were there, so we didn’t explore too many of the amenities, but did stop in the well stocked general store to buy a Capitol Reef sweatshirt. They have a number of grocery items as well as clothes and souvenirs. Bathrooms and showers were older but clean and functional.
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